-- Terri Burke, editor of the Abilene Reporter-News from 1999 to March 2007, has been named executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. She also has filled senior newsroom management positions at The Dallas Morning News and Austin American-Statesman.

-- Dawn Cobb was named managing editor of the Denton Record-Chronicle. Cobb has worked with Denton Publishing Co. since 1986, most recently as editor of the Denton Business Chronicle and as business editor for the Record-Chronicle.

-- The Diboll Free Press welcomed back former sports editor Russell Payne. Payne had a brief stint there from late spring to early summer.

Joining him on the staff is Jerry Gaulding as the news editor.

Both have previously worked together at The Vindicator in Liberty.

-- Dennis Garrison was promoted to publisher of The Huntsville Item. Garrison had been advertising manager since 2002. He began working in newspapers in 1974.

Also at the Item, Jason Navasard was promoted to advertising director. He had been an advertising specialist at the Item for eight years.

-- The Hays Free Press won the weekly category of the Jim Lehrer Award for Journalism for reporting by senior reporter Jen Biundo on the Pedernales Electric Cooperative and its financial mismanagement by its board of trustees and general manager.

Also at the Free Press, Angie Roberts has been named advertising director, and Nicole Ohlendorf, a graduate of University of Texas San Antonio, sales representative.

-- Robert Kent joined The Gatesville Messenger staff as sports editor, succeeding Dusty Brittain, who resigned to resume his education. From 2005 until he joined the Messenger, Kent was employed at KXXV News Channel 25 in Waco.

-- Jerry Lackey, a columnist for the San Angelo Standard-Times, was recognized by the American Sheep Industry Association with the Shepherds Voice Award for “exhibiting a strong commitment to balanced reporting and consistent coverage of the sheep industry at the local statewide and national level during his lifetime.”

-- Les Linebarger has been named editor and publisher of the Henderson Daily News, replacing Noble Welch, who retired after more than 50 years in newspapers.

Linebarger had been general manager of the Daily News since January 2006. He previously worked at The Terrell Tribune and The Kaufman Herald, both sister papers.

-- The Liberty Vindicator announced three new employees.

Leslie Lawrence joined the advertising sales staff and Michelle Richardson joined in circulation.

Amy Fowler is the new managing editor after transferring from the Hill Country News in Cedar Park where she had worked since last spring.

-- Candy McMichen is the new editor of the South Tarrant Star in Everman. She has written for several newspapers and magazines.

-- Jennifer Rains is the newest reporter at the Hill Country News in Cedar Park. She recently graduated from Clemson University in South Carolina with a degree in political science.

-- Mike Read has joined ASP Westward LP as director of online development for Houston Community Newspapers, East Texas Community Newspapers and Colorado Community Newspapers. He has more than 40 years experience in newspapers.

-- Ashley Sanders was named editor of The Orange Leader. She has been a reporter and managing editor for The Port Arthur News.

-- Matthew Stoff is the new city/online editor for the Daily Sentinel in Nacogdoches. He started at the newspaper in August after graduating from Dartmouth College.

-- Lisa Sullivan was promoted to vice president of marketing at the Austin American-Statesman and its affiliated companies. She has been director of marketing since 2005.

-- Ben Trollinger was named managing editor of the Williamson County Sun. Trollinger first came to the Sun in 2004 as a county reporter and was named associate editor in the spring 2007.

-- Neal Ulmer is a new reporter for the Brady Standard-Herald. He worked for the Ozona Stockman from 1993-97 and the Centerville News from 1998-2005.

-- Kris Worrell has been named managing editor of The Beaumont Enterprise. Worrell is a former assistant managing editor of the Albany (N.Y.) Times Union and worked at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

In other moves at the Enterprise, Brian Pearson has been named assistant managing editor overseeing for local news and business coverage and the staff of the Enterprise’s community newspapers.

Ron Franscell now writes Bayou blog at BeaumontEnterprise.com.